Call: PJ2T
QTH: FK52kg, Santa Marta Bay, Curacao
Frequency: 432.090 MHz PJ2T always first, JT65b
Gear: 1x 9wl Yagi, 500 watts, WD5AGO preamp, IC9700 w/GPSDO
Note: Have Internet, and will come up on the HB9Q Logger
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| This special EME QSL card was mailed to all contacts. Santa Marta Bay. |
I am care-taking the PJ2T HF contest station again this winter. A time permits I will be able to operate 70cm EME. This will be mostly a JT65b mode operation given my QRP status, but if called on CW I will reply on CW. The main operating window that works best with my schedule appears to be February 26 to March 8.
March 8 -
Mark, W7MEM (-23) rolled out of bed in the middle of the night to give me contact #50 and a great way to finish off the dxpedition effort. Time to rinse the salt off the antenna and pack for the trip home. LoTW is up-to-date, and I will send some special QSL cards to each and every station worked.
I would not have dreamed that my oh-so-modest station could make so many contacts - it's good to be the DX! :-)
73,
Gene, KB7Q
March 7 -
More is better! DL8FBD (-30), DG5CST (-29), DK4RC (-26), and UB4UAA (-25) worked to bring the total to 49 stations. DL2HWA heard quite well. It is very nice to have that near full moon to aim at.
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| DL8FBD view of our contact. |
Basically I'm running out of folks to work, but DL6SH (-19) was a very easy contact at moonrise, as was DK0NHF (-26). DK5SO (-25) also worked a bit later in the evening.
March 5 -
A post-midnight session netted ZL3AAD (-28). N0AKC copied well for 20 minutes, but I ran out of moon before we could complete. On moonrise the next local day I worked DK3WG (-25), DF3RU (-28), G4YTL (-26), W5LUA (-24), DL8DAU (-21), and OH6UW (-26) for 42 stations worked.
March 4 -
Another tough time with Faraday V/H lock out, but then I got the bright idea to twist the Yagi's boom 45 degrees. Surprise, surprise! I worked five stations in the next hour. Logged: DF3RU (-22), UR7DWW (-27), W2HRO (-28), PA9R (-23), and YL2GD (-28). That bumped total contacts to 35. Now I have a tool to fight Faraday that seems to help.
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| The 45 degree twist seems to add +3db to EU. |
JA6AHB (-25) worked easily for station #30.
Still lots of crossed up polarity, and very high winds, but PA2V (-23) was easily worked, and UX0FF (-26) came out of nowhere to bump my contact total to 29. I had a close call with DK4RC, but he didn't receive my "RRR".
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| View from atop Mount Christoffel (373m), Curacao's highest point. |
A total bust! I chased W2HRO and PA2V for several hours but Faraday kept us at V/H crossed polarity.
February 29 -
After supper on a setting moon I added VK4EME (-28) and VE6TA (-26). Looking forward to MR around noon local time. Moonrise was an excellent session - worked ZS4TX (-27), ZS6JON (-27), DL8GP (-30), G4RGK (-25), ON4AOI (-28), DF3RU (-14), G4FUF (-27), PA0BAT (-27), G4EZP (-26). Log totals 27 stations. LoTW done. W2HRO (-21) and DK4RC (-26) copied many times, but no joy.
February 28 -
K5DOG (-23) was an easy contact after his pre-amp swap, and I chased XE2AT (-25) down to 3 degrees of moon before we completed. It is always good to have unlimited salt water out there for moonset. 13 station worked so far, looking for more activity on the weekend as conditions improve. After taking friends on an island outing for lunch I got back on and added DL7APV (-8), SM7THS (-25) and K2UYH (-25). G4FUF and ZS4TX heard but not worked as I ran out of elevation at 75 degrees when the back of the Yagi hit the deck.
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| DL7APV in full glory |
February 27 -
I tried for over an hour with K5DOG who peaked at -22, but no joy ... yet. LZ1DX (-19) was an easy QSO for his #100 country. ES3RF (-29) also logged before I ran out of elevation at 70 degrees.
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| LZ1DX was easy to decode. |
February 26 -
Just past new moon, but worth a try. Moonrise is morning here right now, so of course I never actually saw the moon. Things kicked off with a nice CW QSO with DL9KR (529) once I found a paddle that would work, then it was JT65b and off to the races. Logged were UA3PTW (-20), DL5FN (-25), OH2DG (-23), OK1KIR (-28), UT6UG (-24), UT5DL (-22), HB9Q (-14), and UX5UL (-27). I'm off to a great start and will look later in the moon pass when I can for VK/JA stations.
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| Simple, but complete station. |
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| 9wl M2 Yagi works better than it should. |